NEW: Soap Box Derby To Close City Road Saturday

East Washington Street will close for most of Saturday for the Rockingham Rotary Club’s ninth annual soap box derby.

Thirty-seven drivers, ages 7 to 18, have signed up to race in three different divisions, club member Matt Findley said. Racing starts at 8:30 a.m. and will last until about 4 p.m.

East Washington Street, which runs from Vine to North Main streets, will close from 5 a.m. to about 6 p.m. Motorists should use Vine Street to access Ralph Sampson Park and neighborhoods at the top of East Washington.

The Harrisonburg Parks and Recreation Department will hold a field day at the park during the race.

“We’re trying to make it a community event,” Findley said.

If the event is rained out Saturday, the derby will be held Sunday, with the same road closure scheduled.